Best way for a single, middle aged woman to have a holiday?

[CampaignToo]

I quite like an organised trip. I came to them late, previously believing that independent travel was more "worthy" but actually, a guide adds to a holiday enormously IME.

We did some fantastic family adventure holidays with Explore and Exodus when DC were teens. A great balance of sociable and organised activities, but also time to yourself. It was good to have someone to explain what you're looking at when sightseeing and also a planned itinerary, so someone else has dealt with the "what shall we do today?" conversation.

Since DC are adults and DH died, I've done some group walking holidays, but in my 50s I'm usually the youngest there by about 20 years! It's OK but I wonder if there's a better way?

It doesn't need to be a singles holiday, probably better if it's not, but I don't really want to be the oldest in a holiday aimed at youngsters or the only working person on a holiday full of pensioners.

What's a good option? Any recommended companies? Any experience of Explore or Exodus holidays for adults?

I like an active holiday and some things to learn/see more than a beach holiday.

I can recommend Intrepid. I went on one of their holidays by myself when I was going through a divorce and the group was a real mix. The youngest was 20 and there were 6 people in their 60's, with every decade in-between. They also do holidays for 18-30s so anyone looking for a 'young' holiday in particular would do that option.

One of the best holidays of my life was a week entirely on my own in Rome. I booked a flight and a nice hotel and spent the entire week going to galleries, museums, churches, Roman sites. I'd eat my dinner at pavement tables and the waiters were always extremely nice to me.

I plan to do the same in Florence once travel gets more normal again.

NB: Be sure to book certain attractions ahead of time, e.g. Villa Borghese and Palazzo Farne

Palazzo Farnese !!!

GAdventures are good -

Exodus, Intrepid etc all generally have pretty mixed age groups in my experience. They do separate trips for 20somethings and teens, so just avoid those and you’ll be fine.

Cruise

I’ve done quite a few Exodus holidays, both as a single and in a couple and there are typically single middle aged women in the group. Often the most interesting (from my perspective) members of the group. Intrepid and Exodus have the same corporate parent as far as I know these days. I’m a big Exodus fan - they have had a good range of holiday types as well as destinations. And I’ve always had excellent local guides. My most adventurous was hiking the foothills of the Himalayas (as a single). The one where I learned the most was Peru (as a couple). We made wonderful friends - singles and couples on that trip. Go for it!

Oi! What's wrong with us pensioners? I'm 70, live in jeans, shorts and vests, look after grandkids, drive 300 miles a week, and probably have as much energy than you. 70 is the new 50 doncha know!?

@Dillydollydingdong

Oi! What's wrong with us pensioners? I'm 70, live in jeans, shorts and vests, look after grandkids, drive 300 miles a week, and probably have as much energy than you. 70 is the new 50 doncha know!?

Nothing's wrong and on the trips I've been on, they've certainly given me a run for my money, but the conversation tends to be all a about DGC and their life of leisure when I'm back to work as soon as we get home

I've done intrepid trips and there was a good mix of ages, nationalities and backgrounds.

Hope you find this organisation helpful

https://www.womensoutdoorholidays.co.uk

I'd been on a few holidays organised by some of the participants and really enjoyed them. In my late fifties, I was spot in the middle of the age range and by no means the only one in full time employment.

Holidays held in term time tend to weed out grandparents with caring responsibilities.

I have done Exodus and Intrepid as a pair and would definitely recommend for you. I think Explore are a similar pattern.

If you're looking for something more focused on activity than culture/sightseeing you could try Gutsy Girls, or for beach-based multi-activity holiday one of the Mark Warner 'Club' weeks. If you are into just sailing then Wildwind has come very highly recommended. I haven't been on a Body Holiday but people I know who have been rave about it. Again, a different vibe from eg touring cultural sites.

I thought G adventure was aimed at younger travellers/budget? I had one great holiday with Flashpack but they are marketed at 30s and I thought were very expensive.

Ah, that's the other issue I face. A lot of holidays aimed at adults don't run in school holidays and I work in school....

?! Intrepid, Exodus etc all have loads of trips which run in school holidays. Have you looked?!

I've gone with Exodus many times and will do again in the future.

A nice mix of singles and couples and they are well organised and you get to see places you wouldn't find easily alone.

Some of the trips are quite strenuous ( hiking in Croatia in 30 degree heat was hard) but others are more sightseeing based.

I've done both Exodus and Explore trips, both as part of a couple and as a single woman. All of them were a mix of couples and singles, and all a mix of ages too. Every one of them was during school holidays - there's usually a great choice on offer then.

I have looked yes. They do have trips that run of course, but if you fancy a specific trip, the dates often don't fit. I wanted to do Fat biking in Finland, for example, and I can't find a single company running it over Feb HT.

I wanted to do the Northumberland coast for the puffins, which needs to be May/June, but the Explore trip doesn't run over May HT and the Exodus one is self guided (which I may do).

If you have very specific things you want to do, I’d suggest looking for local tour agencies in the place you want to go. They often have a better range of dates and types of trip than the big global travel companies.

G Adventures are good - I've travelled with them several times as a single person and you get a really good mix of couples and singles of all ages and different nationalities.

I think the cheaper trips are aimed at twenty somethings/ gap year people so I'd steer clear of the YOLO trips. You can also do a single room upgrade

I went on an Exodus walking holiday with 4 other strangers, all of us single travellers, 3 of us age 50+. And two 20-somethings. We all had a good time.

www.singlesincrete.com/

Would you be prepared to go alone? Audley Travel are great at organising itineraries with guides etc.

I've been with both Exodus and Explore as a single 50-something about 4 times. I was definitely at the lower end of the age range each time, with a couple of 30 somethings. But most were 60s and 70s. I really enjoyed the trips - well organised and everyone was friendly.

I think I was on the younger end because I choose the lower activity trips ie not cycling or strenuous hikes. Exodus grades them by difficulty, I think the highest I have chosen is about 3. I'm sure the higher difficulty ones have younger people on them.

I came in to say intrepid. We did several pre kids and now that I end up at home with them, DP still does them in his own (yes, I encourage him to still travel as we both love it). He's early 50s and occasionally there is a group where he is older than average BUT if there is a trip you are interested in, you can ask them for the demographics of the people already booked on that particular holiday... and then decide if you want to join. We both get on with all ages but it can be useful to know which group you are more likely to fit with well...

@CampaignToo as a newly separated mum who works FT I'm really interested in these. So just wanted to say thanks for posting and I'm going to keep watch! Let us know if you find the perfect holiday 😄. I'm 48 so would love to find some good recommendations with similar age company ☀️ 🍹